Beginner’s Discipleship Class 26b : What does the Holy Spirit Do?

What does the Holy Spirit do?

In this article we examine the role or what does the Holy Spirit do in the following areas:-

• Creation
• Preservation of the universe
• Unbelievers
• Scriptures
• Jesus Christ
• Believers
• Other works of the Holy Spirit

What does the Holy Spirit do in relation to creation?

When God created light, the Holy Spirit was involved.

Genesis 1:2: “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”

The Holy Spirit was involved in the creation of man.

Psalm 104:30: “Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.”

The Spirit of God was involved with the breath of God. The Holy Spirit was the breath.

Job 33:4: “The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.”

All of heaven, with the universe, planets, and stars, were created by the breath of God.

Psalm 33:6: “By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.”

What does the Holy Spirit do in relation to preservation of the universe?

Everything in the universe is being held together and preserved by the Holy Spirit.

Isaiah 40:7: “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.”

The face of the earth is also held together in creation by the Holy Spirit.

Psalm 104:30: “Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.”

What does the Holy Spirit do in relation to the unbelievers?

The Lord Jesus Christ says here that He will convince the lost sinner of three things. The Holy Spirit convicts a lost sinner of his sins, righteousness, and judgment.

John 16:8-11: “And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.”
John 16:13: “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.”

What does the Holy Spirit do in relation to the scriptures?

In the Old Testament, when the prophets preached and proclaimed the word of God, the Holy Spirit moved within them and gave them the words.

2 Peter 1:20-21: “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”

In the New Testament, Jesus said that He would give His disciples the Holy Spirit and that the Holy Spirit would teach them all things.

John 14:26: “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

Inspiration of God = Breath of God. God guides every part of the Bible.

2 Timothy 3:16: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”

What does the Holy Spirit do in relation to Jesus Christ?

By the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ our savior was conceived.

Luke 1:35: “And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.”

Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tested.

Matthew 4:1: “Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.”

Jesus was anointed for service by the Holy Spirit.

Acts 10:38: “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.”

By the power of the Spirit, Jesus was crucified.
The Holy Spirit was the one who offered Jesus as a sacrifice on the cross.

Hebrews 9:14: “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”

By the power of the Spirit, Jesus resurrected from the dead.

Romans 1:4: “And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:”

Before Jesus went back to heaven, He taught His disciples what they needed to know through the Spirit.

Acts 1:2: “Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:”

Jesus gave the Holy Spirit to His believers, so the Holy Spirit was emphasized a lot in the Book of Acts. The Holy Ghost was the only thing they could depend on to know the truth, how to perform miracles, and how to preach. Since there was no completed Bible yet, they had to be guided by the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:33: “Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.”

What does the Holy Spirit do in relation to the believers?

He assures the believers of sonship.

Romans 8:16-17: “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”
Galatians 4:6: “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”

He eternally seals the believers at salvation, and is the assurance of eternal life.

Ephesians 1:13-14: “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”
2 Corinthians 1:22: “Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.”

He fills the believers, giving victory in the lives of believers.

Acts 1:4-8: “And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
Ephesians 5:18: “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;”

He sanctifies the believers. He sets them apart unto holiness.

2 Thessalonians 2:13: “But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:”
1 Peter 1:2: “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.”

He abides continually with the believers.

John 14:16: “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;”

He teaches the believers the word of God. When they don’t understand a passage from the scriptures, the Holy Spirit will be there to teach them.

He reminds them of the things that they’ve learned.

John 14:26: “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

He constantly reveals to them.

John 15:26: “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:”

He guides them into all truth.

John 16:13: “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.”

He takes their bodies and glorifies Jesus in and through them.

John 16:14: “He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.”

He takes the things of Christ (spiritual) and shows them.

John 16:14: “He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.”

He gives them the power to obey God in times of weakness and strengthens them.

Ezekiel 36:7: “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I have lifted up mine hand, Surely the heathen that are about you, they shall bear their shame.”

He gives the believers the power to obey the truth despite the cost.

1 Peter 1:22: “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:”

He gives the believers freedom from the law of sin and death.
Because they have the Holy Spirit in them, they can have victory over sin and death. Whenever they have a temptation, they don’t fight the sin, but the Holy Spirit in them will fight the sin for them. All they have to do is yield to Him.

Romans 8:2: “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”

He takes the weak believers and fulfills the law of righteousness in them.
No matter how many sins they commit in their lives, their spiritual nature is not tainted with sin. It’s 100% holy.

Romans 8:3-4: “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

He gives the believers the power to please God.
This entire chapter talks about giving victory over the flesh.

Romans 8

He will quicken their mortal bodies.
The Holy Spirit is going to make their bodies alive someday.

Romans 8:11: “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.”

He gives the power to mortify the deeds of the body.

Romans 8:13: “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.”

He directs the believers in their prayer to the will of God.

Rom 8:26-27: “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”

He gives the believers victory over the terrible sinful nature of the flesh.

Galatians 5:16-17: “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.”

He leads the believers out of the law to liberty in Christ.
When they receive Jesus Christ by faith alone, the Holy Spirit came inside them. He kept them safe and they didn’t have to do one thing from the law for their salvation. The Holy Spirit liberated them from the bondage of sin for their salvation.

Galatians 5:18: “But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.”

He is the one that causes them to bear fruit.
Whenever they feel discouraged that they’re not producing fruits for the Lord, no matter how hard they try, it’s the Holy Spirit’s responsibility to bring forth the fruit. As long as they do their part and don’t go against God, He will bless their service.

Galatians 5:22-23: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”

He gives them a holy walk as they are led by the Spirit.

Galatians 5:25: “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”

He helps them in putting away things that displease their Father.

Ephesians 4:30-32: “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

He puts Satan to flight.

James 4:7: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
Isaiah 59:19: “So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.”

He gives rest to the soul who trusts God.

Isaiah 63:14: “As a beast goeth down into the valley, the Spirit of the LORD caused him to rest: so didst thou lead thy people, to make thyself a glorious name.”

He makes Jesus Christ the Lord of their personal lives.

1 Corinthians 12:3: “Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.”

He gives liberty and freedom.

2 Corinthians 3:17: “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”

He gives divine love to the children of God.

Romans 5:5: “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”
Colossians 1:4: “Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,”
Colossians 1:8: “Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.”

He gives fullness of joy and satisfaction.

Acts 13:52: “And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.”

He strengthens the inner man with spiritual power.

Ephesians 3:16: “That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;”

He gives righteousness, peace, and joy.

Romans 14:17: “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”
Romans 15:13: “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”

He interprets the deep things of God.
If they don’t understand a passage in the Bible, the Holy Spirit in them is the one that guides and makes them understand.

He empowers them to impart truth to others.

Acts 1:8: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
1 Thessalonians 1:5: “For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.”

He inspires worship and adoration of God.

John 4:23-24: “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”
Philippians 3:3: “For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.”

He comforts.

Acts 9:31: “Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.”

He calls men and directs them in their service.

Acts 8:27-29: “And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.”

He leads the believers in the details of their lives.

He gives access to their Father in heaven.

Ephesians 2:18: “For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.”

He makes known their redemptive rights and their possession in Christ.

1 Corinthians 2:12: “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.”

Other Works of the Holy Spirit

Genesis 6:3: “And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.”
Job 32:8: “But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.”
Exodus 31:2-5: “See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship.”
Judges 6:34: “But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him.”
Judges 14:6: “And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.”